Our columnist still can’t get her head around what her husband does. But she got a look inside his world at the weekend. Meanwhile the election counts brought new meaning to the term ‘shouldering responsibility’ ...!
• IF there was a gun to my head, I’d struggle to accurately describe what my husband does for a living. I know, I’m embarrassed for myself too.
I know he goes out to work every day (thank the lord for that), that he wears ‘smart casual’ gear and that he has a man-bag with a laptop and headset (I’m always wildly impressed by the headset). I know what he does has something to do with automation (even if I’m not sure what that really is ... not a notion actually) and I know during the lockdown he was deemed an essential worker and only had to WFH for a few days (I’m still convinced he made that one up because he couldn’t handle sharing a home office with me and my requests to see the lunch menu from around 10am; although now that I think about it, I didn’t find the headset that impressive at all back in those days – more like intensely annoying).
Anyway, where I’m going with all of this is that I finally got a glimpse of his work place last weekend as his employer MSD, Brinny hosted a ‘family day out’ for all their employees to mark their 40th anniversary. I’ve driven past the pharma plant, just outside Bandon, before, but this time we were treated to a little bus tour of the campus and it’s beyond impressive, almost like a mini-village all of its own, such is the scale of operations. I’m a total sucker for a free burger and branded biro (there were no headsets, – I asked), but I have to say it was a lovely afternoon out, even if I’m still none the wiser about automation. Ah sure what about it ... it’s important to keep a bit of mystery in a marriage!
• Anyway, it’s week two of the State exams and I hope everyone is holding up – both students and their support teams, because let’s be honest, the whole household is impacted.
Stamina may be waning a bit at this stage, but everyone should be on the home straight now. Richard Hogan, psychotherapist and endless source of sound advice, has shared some good tips for exam students which included no overanalysing, getting rest, and most important of all, looking forward to the summer stretching out ahead of you. Keep the head down and you’ll all be out the other side in no time, he said, and he’s right. This too shall pass ....
• Whatever about banning post mortems after exams, there’s been many the post mortem after the local and European elections on bar high stools, around kitchen tables, outside school gates etc. There were highs and lows, winners and losers but honestly, do you know who I really felt for? Not those who lost out, despite all their hard work.
No. I felt for those who had to hoist the successful candidates high on their shoulders when their win was announced. Jeepers. When they say politics isn’t for the faint-hearted, they’d be right. It’s not for the weak-limbed, either.
Now, though, and not to sound all curmudgeonly and all, what I’m mainly concerned about is that all those huge election posters get taken down as soon as possible. I know that it’s a bit like packing for holidays, or putting up the Christmas decorations – the flipside never prompts the same levels of enthusiasm – but let’s get them down, and let’s start the conversation good and early next time around and ask ourselves if they’re really still necessary, in this day and age.
• Seems like every farmer in West Cork has been cutting silage this past week, doesn’t it? The hum of machinery in action is strangely melodic, and the neat rows of cut grass I think are just so pleasing to the eye. The only drawback is that you won’t get anywhere in a hurry for the next while, what with all the heavy machinery on the roads, so give yourself extra time, expect the unexpected and slow down. That’s as much a message to myself as anyone else.
• I’ve watched very little on TV lately. I gave Eric starring Benedict Cumberbatch on Netflix a go but couldn’t quite get into it. I think I might try again, as the reviews have all been quite glowing. Besides, I was far more engrossed in the European Athletics Championships, which is not something I ever expected to hear myself say. The running joke in our family was that I’d nearly always finish in first place in a race – just at the wrong end! Charming. Anyway, I was addicted to watching our athletes in action – beyond impressive. Who knows ... I might try a Parkrun, or some class of a ‘fun run’ before the summer is out myself!
• We’re on the final stretch now before the school holidays and while I’m looking forward to it, I’m also slightly dreading it. Ah no, not quite dreading it but just, you know, moderately apprehensive.
Somewhere along the way, my smallie and I got our wires crossed, and she somehow thinks she lives in a five-star hotel, where I’m head chef, in-house entertainer, chauffeur, and chambermaid.
Oh, and that I also do 24-hour room service. And that I’m very wealthy. The good news is that the long-term forecast looks very settled and that beach days and crisp sandwiches are well within my remit and my budget. But if anyone wants to start a GoFundMe to help cover the next two months, I’d be ok with that!
